Wheatley win not enough to keep Hills in second

Steve Hossack
Rugby Union

WHEATLEY Hills dropped a place to third in North East One despite completing a double over Morpeth with a 17-6 home win - Middlesbrough climbing above them after picking up a bonus point win.

Guy Townsley celebrated his return to action after a long lay-off with a hamstring injury by kicking the Doncaster side into an early 3-0 lead.

But, playing down the slope with a the blustery wind at their back, Morpeth shaded a tight first half and led 6-3 at the break thanks to penalties on 15 and 30 minutes.

Wheatley controlled the game in the second half and drew level with a second penalty by Townsley, playing at centre, on 49 minutes.

He landed a third penalty on the hour to edge his side into a 9-3 lead.

Fellow centre Mickey Hayward scored the only try of the game two minutes later.

Hayward showed good foot-work to beat two defenders around 30 metres out and then rounded the full-back to score. Townsley failed to add the conversion but hit the target with a fourth penalty to complete the scoring in what was a ragged performance by Wheatley in their first game in three weeks. Doncaster Phoenix slumped to arguably their worst defeat of the season in Yorkshire League Two, going down to a 32-3 reversal away to bottom club Goole, who had won only one of their previous 18 games.

Thornensians were also on the end of a sizeable 27-5 defeat in their Division Three clash at Baildon.

Rossington Hornets remain rooted to the foot of the Division Five table after crashing to their 16th defeat in as many starts this season when going down 33-0 at home to fourth-placed Garforth.

Second-bottom Adwick were routed 71-0 away at Stocksbridge.

Wheatley Hills second string suffered an 18-14 defeat against Wath seconds in their Yorkshire 2nd XV League (South) One clash.

Centre Jay Wilson and wing Niall Crowcroft shared out the two Wheatley tries, both of which were converted by Crowcroft.

The club’s third/vets team beat Sheffield Medics seconds 21-14 at home in a club match. Andy Wilson winged in for a brace with scrum-half Daz Martin also touching down.